1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to insemination devices for human use and, more particularly, to insemination devices that may be used for self-insemination in a non-medical setting.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been a notable increase in interest in and use of in vivo fertilization as a preferred method of procreation. Some factors that may be responsible for this are the newfound ability and acceptance of single women to have children, and the stability and domesticity afforded by the recent public approval of same-sex marriage.
Although in vivo fertilization is a medical term and implies a medical procedure, there is really no necessity for it to be relegated to a doctor's office, clinic, or medical center. The basic biological factors remain unchanged: a viable sperm cell must be delivered to an egg cell so that they may combine to form a zygote, a fetus, and ultimately a live newborn. Any woman may obtain seminal fluid from a male, such as from a sperm bank, or a donation from a friend, colleague, or stranger. In the past, the seminal fluid was placed in a syringe-like device (commonly, the “turkey baster technology”), inserted into the vagina, and discharged in the hope that it would find its way to the cervix and eventually to the ovum within the uterus.
The prior art devices that are commercially available are not designed for self-insemination, and are not user-friendly in that regard. For example, a vial of seminal fluid from a sperm bank may cost $400-$600 for 1 cc, and given that high cost it is desirable to use it in a way that maximizes its potential for fertilization success. The hit-or-miss syringes available commercially do nothing to maximize the potential.